TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- Twelve teachers and staff members at a Morris County high school on Friday claimed their share of a $163 million Mega Millions jackpot.

The group showed up in a bus at New Jersey Lottery headquarters in Trenton to claim the prize they won last month. They chose the cash option, meaning the group will get more than $49 million before taxes.

The group shares the jackpot from the Dec. 18 drawing with a winner from Illinois.

Despite being wealthier, the group said in a statement that they want to quickly get back to educating their students at Morris Knolls High School in Rockaway.

The high school's band director, Edward Argenziano, said in an e-mail that the winners are "all wonderful teachers and secretaries" who have been playing the lottery for many years.

"I am extremely happy for them," Argenziano said.

He said school workers have had a lottery pool during the 22 years he's been there, adding that he was briefly a pool member before dropping out many years ago.